VH1. No, not the channel. The Album. This ranks only slightly behind 1984 as the best Van Halen album ever IMO. What's not to love about this one. The bulk of this album still makes up a good chunk of their set list: Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love, Eruption, Ice Cream Man, Jamie's Cryin', Runnin' With The Devil and You Really Got Me. This album still holds up rather well after all these years. I still remember getting this on Christmas and playing it over and over. My Mom was kinda regretting getting me this album, especially on Christmas because I kept playing Running With The Devil over and over. My bad. Sorry.

Fave Songs: All of 'em.

09.22.11

New review coming soon as I'm not satisfied with my old review. To bare bones to my liking.

I know I'm jumping in here before you really get started but I knows what I likes.

And actually on thinking about this. The first album has great memories for me. The second just was icing on the cake. Then 1984 is more radio friendly and songs like Jump, Panama and Hot for Teacher are just great songs to play loud.

I know I'm jumping in here before you really get started but I knows what I likes.

And actually on thinking about this. The first album has great memories for me. The second just was icing on the cake. Then 1984 is more radio friendly and songs like Jump, Panama and Hot for Teacher are just great songs to play loud.

I'll admit that when this first came out I only liked half the album. I really don't know why that is. Probably because I was expecting another Running With The Devil and Eruption. But over the years VHII just keeps getting better and better. Is it on par of VH1? No. This one really only had a select few that you can really call "hits". If it were not for Spanish Fly, I never ever would have bothered picking up an acoustic guitar, just so that I could learn that song.

Most people point to 1984 as the first time Eddie uses keyboards on a Van Halen album. That just isn't true. Any fan of the band knows full well that it made it's debut here on Women and Children First. Yes, it was disguised by running the keyboard directly through a Marshall amp with phase FX applied to it to give it that crunchy "guitar" sound. I'll be the first to admit that I didn't know that when this was released. How would I know that? I was just a pup back then.

Anyways, I have always loved this one. A lot. First time I ever heard Everybody Wants Some!! I was floored. The Drum intro and interlude with the ba-duuuuuuum, ba-dum power chords and wailing guitar noises still kicks f*cking ass.

Fave Songs: And The Cradle Will Rock..., Everybody Wants Some!! Fools...Awww hell, all of it!!

09.22.11

New review coming soon as I'm not satisfied with my old review. To bare bones to my liking.

Fair Warning is definitely my least favorite VH album of the DLR era. Very uneven and not really having anything remotely resembling a hit. There are some cool songs and innovative playing on the part of Eddie. But it's not enough to give it much more than the rating it gets.

Fave Songs: Dirty Movies, Mean Streets, So This Is Love and Unchained.

09.22.11

New review coming soon as I'm not satisfied with my old review. To bare bones to my liking.

I don't get the negativity directed at Diver Down from friends over the years that I have had discussions about all things Van Halen. Yes, half the album consist of covers. Who the f*ck cares? It's how you give old songs a new spin and make it your own. And boy, they make it their own. So much so that I actually find it very hard to even listen to the originals anymore because the VH-infused versions are permanently embedded into my psyche.

I have played Diver Down probably just as much as I have 1984 with repeated listens over the years. I never get tired of it. It's a great party record IMO.

What's not to love about this one? From Where Have All The Good Times Gone to Oh, Pretty Woman to Little Guitars. Even the "sappy" songs Big Bad Bill (Is Sweet William Now) and Happy Trails just leaves a big grin on my face.

And let's not forget about Eddie. It has Cathedral, Little Guitars (Intro) and my personal favorite of the bunch, Intruder. As great as Eruption from Van Halen (Self Titled) is for obvious reasons, I personally have always liked Intruder more with its wall of squeals and noises, the kicker being his "Elephant" technique which consisted of a used beer can.

Fave Songs: Every last f*cking one of them!!!!!!!

I won't be listening to any other Van Halen records for the rest of the night tonight as this one will get repeated spins till I fall asleep.

A lot has already been said about 1984 here in this thread and abroad. I do understand why some people choose VH1 over this one as the greatest of all time. And they are all valid points. As great as Van Halen's first album is, the songs are just better here with an overall cohesive feel from start to finish. And where VH1 does feel dated (well it was recorded in 1978) when playing it back, this one has aged like fine wine. Doesn't sound dated at all. If anything, it sounds like it was recorded last week.

I will admit that when I picked up 1984 when it was released, that I was very nervous about the direction the band had taken after listening to the title track and it's follow up Jump. But my fears were quickly allayed when Panama came blasting out of the speakers.

Top Jimmy. God I love this song. I think it's probably my favorite of the entire album. But it's really hard to just choose the best of the bunch when I consider the entire album to be one of the greatest of all time. It has been in my Top 3 since it's release.

No sooner do I say that Top Jimmy is my fave when Drop Dead Legs comes on. So, now I gotta change that to my fave. It's a great predicament to be in to constantly pick another song as the best. The rest of the album is just as kick ass with Hot For Teacher, I'll Wait, Girl Gone Bad and House Of Pain. As for I'll Wait, I can't get enough synth. What a great sing-along-song.

FYI...one of the greatest covers of all time, if not THE best of all time IMO. Wanna know what the sticker price says on my cover? $6.99 from Licorice Pizza. Brand new, the day it was released. Man, how times have changed.

Girl Gone Bad is my favorite right now.

Fave Songs: All of 'em!

Does anyone else remember Licorice Pizza? I miss that place. All the free licorice you could ask for.

Ah yes. The most controversial Greatest Hits package ever. Seriously, can you think of any other that cause so much sh*t as this one did? For those that are not fans of Van Halen and don't really know the inside scoop, here's a refresher course.

Sammy Hagar was still in the band at the time. But Eddie and Alex at the urging of their manager decided to put out a GH package, which Sammy objected to. His words were for naught as Eddie had the final say so. But to give this new package a hook to increase sales, Eddie, Alex and their manager felt that having David Lee Roth on board would be just what the Doctor ordered (pun intended ).

So, with Sammy still a member of the band, Eddie, Alex and Michael "secretly" began working on 2 songs with Diamond Dave. And then Sammy found out. So, he either quit or was fired. Who knows. Depends on who is telling the story. In later interviews, Michael had come clean about not even playing on those songs.

With Sammy now out of the picture, Dave for obvious reasons thought it was now his gig. Depending on once again who is telling the story, Dave was told point blank that he was in fact back in the band. But he has been known to tell stories.

Fast forward to the 1996 MTV Video Music Awards show, where the "reunited" Van Halen made their grand appearance to a rip-roaring standing ovation. Personally, I was pissing myself because I was so happy to see it unfolding before my eyes. It was what I had been clamoring for since 1984.

As for the actual GH package it was definitely incomplete. Just way too many omissions to make this a must have. Now if you want to pick it up for the 2 new DLR songs, I would say yes. Is it on par with vintage VH? No. But personally I enjoy both Can't Get This Stuff No More and Me Wise Magic. Also included on the disc is Humans Being from the Twister soundtrack.

It would take 11 long years for them to get their sh*t together. Or so we thought. When Van Halen announced that they were in fact reuniting with David Lee Roth, I just assumed that it would be the original 4. What I was not expecting was 3 originals and someone that looks a whole lot like Valerie Bertinelli. It wasn't until I really looked closer did I realize it was Wolfie. Bah.

Sorry, but with no Michael Anthony along for the ride, this wasn't and still isn't a legit Reunion in my eyes. Even with the forthcoming new album by the original 3 and "Valerie", it still isn't. Having said that, of course I'm gonna check out the new VH album when it drops. Duh.